


Muscular Garfield Joins the Literature Club

by UglyTurnip



Series: UglyTurnip's Crack/Meme Fanfictions [3]
Category: Doki Doki Literature Club! (Visual Novel), Garfield - All Media Types
Genre: Caring Garfield, Crack Pairing, Crossover, Date Night, F/M, Fluff and Crack, Happy Ending, INSPIRATIONAL, Jealousy, Love Triangles, Mild Language, Mild Sexual Content, Muscular Garfield, Nice Garfield, Romance, Temporarily Unrequited Love, Unrequited Love, Weirdness, crackfic, ongoing
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-08-30
Updated: 2019-02-12
Packaged: 2019-07-04 14:36:16
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 9,871
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15843309
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/UglyTurnip/pseuds/UglyTurnip
Summary: After inviting everyone's favorite lasagna-eating cat to join the literature club, Sayori develops a crush on him. MC, with the help of Natsuki, must embark on an undercover mission to win back his childhood friend's adoration at all costs. How can he compete, though, with a gorgeous hunk of cat like Garfield? And is the love he really wants right under his very nose?





	1. Monday Meetings

"Ugh, where is she?" Natsuki groaned as she tapped her foot impatiently. "We were supposed to start the meeting twenty minutes ago!"

"Relax, Natsuki," Monika commanded. "She'll be here. Sayori doesn't like to miss club meetings anymore than the rest of us."

MC said nothing, but merely stared at the clock as he waited for something to happen. It was a Monday afternoon in the literature club, and MC hated Mondays. In fact, the entire literature club held some sort of disdain for the dreaded Monday. It was the start of the school week, the end of freedom for another five whole days. Now, the one part of the day MC loved the most was being held up by his missing friend. She was with them at lunch, as happy and goofy as she normally was, but where could she have gone?

"If she doesn't show up in ten minutes, we should probably start without her," Natsuki argued. "I can't hang around school all day."

"Maybe she called out sick?" Yuri offered, glancing up briefly from her latest novel.

"That's what I was thinking," MC chimed in. "Though she should have texted us beforehand, at least. It's not like Sayori to keep us in the dark."

Monika shrugged. "I don't know. I'll give Sayori ten more minutes, and if she's not-"

Suddenly, the sound of rapid footsteps echoed down the hallway, accompanied by shallow breathing. Before anyone had time to register who it might be, Sayori practically sprinted into the classroom. Her face was red, sweat dripped down her face, and she needed a minute to catch her breath.

"Sorry. . . Everyone. . . I. . . Didn't mean to take that long."

MC gave his friend a sympathetic frown. "Sayori, you're twenty minutes late. Usually, you're good at scheduling your afternoons, at least. What gives?"

He knew Sayori had a bit of a crush on him, but MC simply did not return those feelings. To him, Sayori was just a friend, a good friend, but only a friend. Perhaps she knew he felt this way, too, because she never said anything about her crush to him. Nevertheless, it wasn't hard to see the expression of longing she sometimes wore during club meetings, or the insistence that he walked home with her every day after school.

Regardless, none of that was present at the moment. "Yeah, sorry about that," Sayori uttered shyly. "I was busy recruiting a new club member. I think you all will like him!"

"Well, where is he?" Monika inquired.

"Oh, he should be here any moment," she informed, then glanced out into the hallway. Immediately, she grinned. "Oh, here he comes now!"

"Sorry about that," a voice said from outside the classroom. It sounded like a lasagna harp: sweet and gentle. The figure that the voice belonged to emerged gracefully from the doorway, and it soon became apparent that what Sayori had said was a massive understatement. He was a tall cat, 6'3" to be exact, with bulging muscles and great big half-lidded eyes. As he eyed his fellow club members for the first time, he gave each of them a gentle, friendly smile that somehow made everyone feel just a little bit happier. "I'm not quite as fast as little miss speedy over there," he explained, gesturing to a blushing Sayori. "I'm Garfield. It's a pleasure to meet you all."

"H-hello, Garfield," Monika stammered, the heat rising to her cheeks as she struggled to make eye contact with that glorious hunk of cat. The effect was only brief, though, and she managed to regain her confidence, "I'm Monika, the club president. We're all glad to have you here."

"You know we are!" Sayori exclaimed excitedly as she wrapped her new friend up in a tight hug, much to the silent disdain of MC.

"I'm just glad that there's a literature club in this place," Garfield said, effortlessly dragging two more desks to join the other 4. "When I got transferred here, I was worried I wouldn't have a chance to express my true passion."

"OH GOD, HE'S PERFECT!" Yuri exclaimed suddenly as she rose up from her desk. Her four friends all gave her strange looks as she realized what she had just screamed at the stop of her lungs. With a face redder than a Soviet tomato over a class M star, she sat back down, ducked behind her book, and squeaked out a meager "sorry".

Garfield, however, found himself chuckling at the sight. "I have had many women tell me such things," he told Yuri. "Of them all, however, you might be among the most beautiful."

Yuri gasped from behind her book fort. It took all of her mental energy not to pass out from shock right there. She took a deep breath and lowered her meager protectopm, but could not bring herself to look at such a magnificent creature in the eyes. "T-thank you. I'm Yuri, and I l-like books."

"As do we all, I presume," Garfield quipped, and all the literature club laughed at his wonderful wit.

All except for MC and Natsuki, of course. Instead, the pair only raised their eyebrows at the cool cat. Why exactly did MC find him so suspicious, he could not say. As for Natsuki, she did not fall for Garfield's feline charms. Her secret love for MC, as unwilling as she was to confess it, was true and pure. No amount of competition could sway her from feeling any different.

"So, how about we sit down and read some epic poetry?" Garfield suggested as he quickly moved the desks into a formation for all six of them. His muscles and diligence were more than enough to make it an effortless task. Garfield then sat on the far upper right desk, gesturing for the others with a lazy paw.

Yuri shot out of her chair like a bullet and took the seat closest to Garfield. She immediately dug through her backpack and eagerly handed Garfield a crumpled piece of paper. He took it from her, gently opened it, and read it silently as the others joined him. MC and Natsuki, still uneasy, sat the furthest away from him. Sayori sat next to MC, as she had been since they first attended the literature club meetings. However, while her attention used to be focused primarily on MC, her childhood friend and secret crush, now it was exclusively focused on Garfield.

"N-normally we share poems that we wrote ourselves during club meetings," Monika informed Garfield. "Did Sayori tell you to write one, by any chance?"

Garfield shook his head. "I'm afraid not. You see, I-"

Monika scoffed as she shot Sayori a stern frown. "That's rather inconsiderate of her, wouldn't you agree, Garfield? I'll have you know that if I invited you, I would have told you to write on beforehand," she shrugged. "I guess Sayori just wanted to embarrass you today."

Sayori blushed intensely, but seemed to remain oblivious to Monika's obvious intent at slandering a potential romantic rival. "No! Not true! I was just. . . Ehehehe," she giggled, slowly sinking into her chair.

MC felt a compulsive need to defend Sayori, especially since she looked so pitiful from that criticism. He hovered his arm over her shoulder, but retracted it after thinking how awkward it would be to embrace his best friend in public. Then again. . . Why did he want to so badly?

Garfield patted her on the shoulder in a manner that soothed her. His fur was so soft, and his movements very gentle. "It's alright. I believe I have one ready in my head anyway. Why don't I write it down real quick?"

"Of course!" Monika exclaimed a little too loudly as she quickly dug into her backpack. She handed him a full, unopened package of notebook paper, her eyes avoiding his gorgeous gaze. "H-here you go."

Garfield examined the paper. "I don't think it's going to take this much to write down my poem. Are you sure you're OK with giving me this much?"

"Yes, yes of course," Monika nodded enthusiastically. "Consider it my 'welcome to the club' present," she said with a giggle. Inwardly, though, she cursed herself for making her 'gift' paper of all things.

"Well, thank you," Garfield replied with sincere gratitude. "I appreciate the gesture. Anyway, it might take me a few minutes to write down my poem. Why don't you all share yours, and I'll save mine for last."

"The best for last," Sayori hummed happily, wrapping an arm around Garfield. "That sounds like a great plan, Garfield!"

And so, the five original club members went about sharing their poems, though there was an obvious air of tension between Sayori, Monika, and Yuri. Each were just a little too hurtful in each other's criticism, and all were far too ready to mention the slightest infraction in a malicious attempt to burst each other's bubble. It was evident to anyone with a kindergartner's level of reading comprehension that their poems were ones of love, with varying degrees of success. Each time one of the girls tried to get Garfield's attention, he would politely, yet firmly shoo them away. Weaving a master poem together took effort, dedication, and a great period of self-reflection, and that was something Garfield needed.

Eventually, he rose from his desk, paper in hand, and cleared his throat. Immediately, Monika snapped to attention, clapping her hands together to silence the idle chatter of her fellow club members.

"I think I am ready," Garfield stated nervously.

"Of course!" Monika replied, stepping back and gesturing to the front of the room. "The floor is yours, Garfield."

Garfield made his way to the front of the classroom, stared at his paper briefly, and recited the following lines:

Lasagna is delicious

This much is true

But I'd give up all the pasta

To get closer to you

You're as saucy as pizza

But I don't wanna eat 'ya

I'd stop kicking Odie, it's true.

I wrote this poem, because I want to see:

If you would ever go out with a cat like me.

With his poem complete, Garfield shot a shy smile in Sayori's direction. It took the goofy girl a second to comprehend his words, but once she did, she was overcome with a deep blush. She nearly fainted on the spot, for her heartbeat had quickened a millionfold.

So had MC's, though the cause of his was far from love. A feeling had begun to brew within the deepest recesses of his heart. An envy greener than a left-wing environmentalist political party had taken ahold of his very soul, and a truth was finally uncovered: despite his doubts, he was in love with Sayori.

"NO!" MC shouted, breaking the romantic tension in the room.

All eyes fell onto him, including Natsuki's. Unbeknownst to his terrible social detection skills, hers were jealous as well, for she saw the love he felt for Sayori. Why couldn't it be hers? He was the first person in years that she felt like she could really be herself around, yet he saw her only as a good friend. It infuriated her, but she suppressed her murderous thoughts against Sayori for his sake. If he was happier with Sayori, it would be very selfish for her to steal him.

The others were more inquisitive, though there was some residual disappointment in Monika and Yuri. Their gazes did not cease, and an awkward silence permeated the classroom. Eventually, MC relented, and he sat back down in his chair.

"No. . . No way you could write something so excellent, Garfield!" MC proclaimed with an awkward chuckle.

Garfield smiled, genuinely appreciative of the compliment. "Thank you, MC, and yours was a pleasure to read, as well."

Darn it! Why did he have to be so forgiving!?

Then, Garfield gently took Sayori's hand in his paw. She gazed into his black pupils with her azure eyes before emitting an awkward giggle.

"Sayori?"

"Y-yes? Ehehehehe. . ."

"May I have the pleasure of taking you out for a romantic Italian dinner tonight?"

"T-tonight?" Sayori gasped. Then, her astonishment quickly evaporated into joy. "YES! Oh, I mean. . . Yes, please. Sorry, I got a little. . . Overexcited."

Garfield himself beamed at her. "Wonderful. How does 6:30 sound to you?"

Sayori giggled. "Well, I may need to have a little snack while I'm at home, but yes, that's great."

"Well, alright," Monika said through gritted teeth. "Looks like the club meeting is. . . dismissed."

She started for the door, then suddenly stopped in her tracks. She glanced away from the group, as if alone in pensive thought. "Here's Monika's writing tip of the day: Sometimes writing an angsty poem is a good way to try out your potential with a new genre. I think. . . I think I should give it a shot tonight."

She left without another word. Yuri did the same. Then, Garfield and Sayori departed with flirtatious waves towards one another. Once they were out of sight, MC's friendly demeanor ceased.

"Natsuki?"

"What?"

MC sighed, leaning up against the wall. "I think. . . I think I have a crush on Sayori."

Natsuki stammered for a second, then glanced away. There was the slightest hint of pink on her cheeks, not that MC noticed. "S-so!? Why should I care?"

"Well, I was wondering. Do you think. . . Do you think you could help me sabotage the date?"

Natsuki raised an eyebrow. "Why would you want to do that?"

"To win her back, of course," MC clarified as he rolled his eyes. "Surely, there has to be a way to show her I'm better than Garfield."

Natsuki glanced away nervously. "You know, I get that you have feelings for Sayori and all, b-but. . . Maybe you should let her go. I think I know someone else who would like to go on a date with you. . ."

She smiled uncharacteristically shyly at MC, though he failed to catch her hint.

"Well, I'm not about to give up that easily," MC affirmed with a shake of his head. "I think there's still a chance for me to win her heart. Can I ask for your help on this."

Natsuki glared at MC for a moment. "W-why would I want to help you?"

"I'll buy you the latest issue of Parfait Girls."

Natsuki sighed. She reflected on the offer for a moment before finally nodding. If you love someone truly, you have to be willing to let them go. Plus, new manga is never a bad thing.

"I'll do it," she confirmed at last.

"Yes!" exclaimed MC as he pulled her in a tight hug. There was a hint of pink on Natsuki's cheeks, not that he noticed it. When he eventually let her go, his smile morphed into a puzzled frown. "Now, we'll need a plan."

A light-bulb went off in Natsuki's head. Maybe, just maybe there was a way she could get him to love her after all. "Why don't we go on a date ourselves?" she offered. "We could make her jealous!"

MC snapped his fingers in delight, totally oblivious to Natsuki's true plans. "That's perfect! When she sees I've found a date, too, maybe she'll have second thoughts. Natsuki, you're a genius!"

"Well, you know, I try."

"So, uh, I'll pick you up at six?" MC offered shyly.

"No, MC. You have to ask me out first," Natsuki informed with a flirtatious grin.

"Oh, right. Uh, Natsuki, will you got out on a date with me?"

Natsuki felt a surge of joy rush through her, though she remained calm enough to avoid an outburst. "I-I guess, dummy. It's not like this will be a real date or anything, though."

It was totally going to be a real date if she got her way.

"Yeah, obviously," MC informed, heading out the door. "Thanks for your help on this, Natsuki; it means a lot to me."

"Oh, MC."

"Yeah."

"Wear your good cologne. You always smell so nice with it on," Natsuki proclaimed a little too dreamily.

"You're a good actor, you know that?" MC said with a smirk. "Don't worry, I got the perfect outfit for tonight. Six, right?"

"Uh, yeah, six."

"Good, see you then!"

With that, MC left the room. Natsuki waited patiently for the sound of his footsteps to fade. Then, she jumped up and cheered with an excitement she hadn't felt in a long time.

"Yes! I'm going on a date with MC! I'm going on a date with-"

"Oh, are you kidding me!?"

Natsuki froze, turning her gaze to the classroom door. There was Yuri, shooting her a gaze of slight disgust. Natsuki breathed a sigh of relief.

"Oh, good. It's just you."

"Yeah, I forgot my book. You seem rather. . . Elated."

"Duh! I'm going on a date with the cutest, dumbest guy in the world!"

Yuri sighed. "Is everyone going to find a date but me?"

Natsuki shrugged. "Maybe. Anyway, I should get going; I have to get, ugh, pretty for tonight."

Yuri walked over to her desk, but she did not pack her book. Instead, she merely sat down, gazing out the window at the late afternoon sky. "Yeah, you do that."


	2. Date Night With Garfield

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Garfield and Sayori go on their first date, blissfully unaware of MC and Natsuki's plot to sabotage it.

"C'mon, c'mon," Sayori muttered to herself as she tried desperately to style her hair in the mirror. "He's going to be here any minute, and you can't go on a date looking like this."

Not that there was anything particularly out of the ordinary with Sayori's hair. Sure, the bow was absent, but other than that, it was still in her trademark style. Now, if only her trademark style wasn't "messy bedhead", then she might be getting somewhere.

_Ding-dong!_

Sayori jumped in surprise, dropping the hairbrush on the floor. It would appear that messy bedhead would have to do tonight. She grabbed her trademark bow off of the bathroom counter and placed it haphazardly in her hair, then stepped back to get a good look at herself. She was clad in a red sleveless dress that was relatively modest in terms of visible cleavage. What little makeup she had on was mascara and pink lipstick. Her feet wiggled uncomfortably in a pair of high heels, and she realized just how much she hated the footwear. Still, she wore them for Garfield, because Garfield was a cat that deserved such things.

The doorbell rang again, snapping Sayori out of her thoughts. It wasn't very kind of her to keep him waiting.

"Com-coming!" she exclaimed as she awkwardly stepped down the stairs and over to the front door. She flung it open a little too forcefully, her anxiety creeping in already.

"Sorry, Garfield," she began, not directly looking at him yet. "I was a little-"

She caught eye of Garfield's muscular body clad in a black tuxedo. The sight of this gorgeous, sharp-dressed cat nearly caused her to faint right then and there, but instead, her mouth was merely agape in awe.

"G-Garfield," she swallowed. "You look. . . Amazinggggg~!"

Garfield took her hand in his, staring her down with half-lidded, semi-seductive eyes. "And you are absolutely gorgeous, my sweet," he purred in response.

There was an undeniable sincerity in his words. So much so, that Sayori couldn't help but smile and forget all of her worries. She was beautiful just the way she was, and it granted her a sort of pride she had been devoid of for months.

She giggled. "You have such a way with words. It's no wonder you wanted to join the literature club."

"And I had the nicest girl to thank for helping me find it. Come, we should get going."

"Y-yes, of course, Sayori exhaled, but she only took two more steps before another surprise froze her in place.

"Oh my God," she uttered, gazing at the car in her driveway with genuine surprise. "You have a Lamberrarrigatti!"

It was true. In the driveway, parked perfectly straight, was Garfield's orange Lamberrarrigatti. There was not a scratch or spec of dirt on it, a testimony to Garfield's carefulness on the road and the diligence he harbored for keeping it clean as a whistle.

"Yeah, she's one of my most prized possessions. I bought her after saving a few paychecks from work. I work as a stock broker, by the way. Did you know that?"

"Has anyone told you that you are the perfect man?" Sayori sincerely inquired.

"Many women have," Garfield admitted truthfully as the walked together. "Though you were the first to ignite that same spark within me."

"Y-you mean that?" Sayori asked with a nervous giggle.

"I do. You're kind, selfless, and just a bit silly. Not to mention, you're cute as a button."

Sayori sighed dreamily. She could already tell this was going to be a marvelous date.

The ride to Giovanni's was relatively short and unimportant. Garfield demonstrated his clever sense of humor in quite a few cases, never failing to elicit laughter from Sayori. Soon, they arrived at the fine restaurant and took their seats without too much fanfare.

"Buongiorno, amici!" the Italian waiter exclaimed enthusiastically as he stepped over to the pair. "My name is Massimiliano! On a romantic date, are we?"

"Y-you could say that," Sayori muttered shyly, though she was grinning from ear to ear.

"Ooh," Massimiliano noted with raised eyebrows. He then turned to Garfield. "I think you should hang on to her, signoro. Lei è la serenissima donna I have ever seen!"

"I already know that," said Garfield, who had taken an Italian language course during college and thus could understand the waiter. "But thank you for noticing her beauty the way I do."

Sayori's heart was sent aflutter.

"Sì, sì!" Massimiliano nodded as he pulled out a notepad. "What shall it be for the lovely couple?"

"Ladies first," Garfield said as he nodded at Sayori. She never realized before just how sexy good manners were.

"Uh, yeah! I'll have a personal pizza. Super supreme, please! Except hold the vegetables. I hate vegetables."

"So. . . A meatlover's?"

Sayori shrugged. "I guess so. And a soda, please!"

Massimiliano scribbled the order down, then turned to Garfield. "And what would the fine gentlecat like tonight?"

Garfield didn't even have to look at the menu. "I'll have a small portion of lasagna and a house salad, please. Also, hold the dressing, and I think I'll have a glass of milk to go with it."

"Benissimo!" Massimiliano exclaimed. "I will inform the cooks at once and return with your drinks."

And just like that, Massimiliano ran off, delicately dancing his way past the other waiters and customers. He quickly returned with their drinks and disappeared just as eloquently. Truly, he was a master of his craft.

"Why did you only order a small portion of lasagna, Garfield?" Sayori inquired with a tilt of her head. "Do you need help paying? I can help yo-"

Garfield, still smiling, shook his head and raised a paw to stop her conversation. "No, no. You make a lot of money when you work part time as a stock broker. I just need to remain on my diet, because I never want to go back to being the fat cat I used to be."

"Wait, you used to be fat?"

"Oh, obese," Garfield clarified. "I used to eat lasagna and pizza all the time, more than anyone, cat or human, should ever eat. Luckily for me, my owner, Jon Arbuckle, helped me kicked that bad habit. He started taking me to the gym with him. He helped me find the willpower to choose healthier foods over tastier ones, and he became my workout partner. I used to be so ungrateful to him before, but after I began to burn the fat, I found that he was more than just my owner. He was also my dearest friend."

"Sounds like Jon was quite the man," Sayori remarked. "Do you still see him often?"

Garfield gazed down at the table with a forlorn expression. "He. . . He died in the Great Multiverse War."

Sayori felt a pang of remorse for unearthing such a tragic memory, however accidentally she may had done it. "I'm sorry."

But Garfield did not despair. Instead, he flashed her a genuine smile. "There's no need to feel bad about it; you didn't know. Besides, Jon gave his life for a good cause. Perhaps he's in a better place because of it. Sometimes, though, I wish I had fought alongside him. Maybe then, I could have saved the one who saved me."

Sayori blinked back tears, clearly swayed by Garfield's heartfelt speech. "You're a noble cat, Garfield. I think Jon was honored to have a friend like you.

"Thank you," he said, finding comfort in Sayori's words. "Now is not the time for mourning, however," he assured as he raised his glass high. "I propose a toast: to the literature club as well as our own friendship. May both blossom into something truly wondrous."

"I couldn't have said that any better myself," Sayori replied, raising her own glass in such a way that it might hide the blush in her cheeks. It was likely a futile effort, but certainly an admirable try. "To the club and us, and to Jon Arbuckle. May his sacrifice be forever known to future peoples."

_Clink_

Just as the toast was completed, Massimiliano returned to the table with their plates. He slid each one perfectly onto the table, bowed his head slightly, and then left to give the couple their privacy.

"Now," Garfield began, turning his attention to the large pile of lasagna on his plate. "Let's eat."

And they did just that. There was once a time where Garfield would have hastily devoured a lasagna as soon as the plate touched the table. However, one of the most important lessons he learned through his fitness regime was portion control. He ate in small amounts and chewed slowly, enjoying every last modicum of flavor that each bite brought. Though Sayori was not much one for elegant table manners herself, she found that she was self-consciously doing the same, making sure that nothing spilled on her pretty red dress. She even resisted the urge to sloppily lick the globs of tomato sauce, all in an effort to impress the devilishly handsome Garfield.

Unbeknownst to the two, another couple watched from a safe distance. Outside the restaurant, Natsuki and MC emerged from the brown jalopy MC had inherited from his father. Neither of them were dressed as elegantly as Garfield or Sayori, but they were nevertheless in the best clothes they could find. MC wore a button-up shirt, khaki pants, and a cheap pair of dress shoes, while Natsuki wore a pink polo and denim shorts. She _might_ have deliberately chosen a size too tight in an attempt to make her flat butt look bigger, but her efforts seemed to have gone unnoticed by MC. Brandishing a pair of binoculars, she began to scan the restaurant for any signs of the duo.

"See anything, Nat?" MC inquired.

Natsuki, having pinpointed the table, nodded. The angle that she was watching from granted her a perfect view of Garfield's manly pecs, a sight that most women would've killed for. Natsuki, though, remained disinterested at best. Sure, Garfield made excellent eye candy, but her heart still yearned for MC and MC alone.

"I see 'em, MC," she confirmed aloud.

"Gimme those!" MC commanded excitedly as he yanked the binoculars from Natsuki. He soon found and focused on the pair. Seeing Sayori with that homewrecker only made his blood boil more. What was Garfield going at, anyway?

"Alright," he began, walking around to Natsuki's side of the car. "Looks like nothing major has happened yet. Are you ready to make our grand entrance?"

Natsuki took his hand in hers, smiling confidently. "Of course, dummy. Just make sure to hold my hand. We have to look convincing, after all.

MC turned to her, breathed deeply, and exhaled longingly as he turned back to the window where Sayori was at. "I sure hope this works, Nat. I can't believe how much of an idiot I was to put her off so long. I hope I can be half the man that Garfield is, just so I have this second chance.

"You know, you don't have to do this," Natsuki began, leaning rather closely to MC's chest. "I know a girl that thinks you're more of a man than Garfield could ever be."

"There's no need to hook me up with one of your friends, Nat," MC said with a nod. "I have feelings for Sayori, and I just don't think anybody else will do."

The words stabbed at Natsuki's heart like a halberd, but she maintained her composure. Worse-case scenario, she would still get her new manga. And the night was only just beginning. There was still hope to show MC the love he truly deserved, even if it wasn't from the girl he expected it from. So, as they walked forward, hand in hand, Natsuki allowed his absentminded rejection to roll off of her like water on a duck's back. She leaned closer to MC, feeling his heartbeat echo, and her own heart was set aflutter.

_It will all go to plan_ , she reassured herself. _You'll see_.


	3. Two First Dates

"Say, Garfield?" Sayori spoke after a short period of silent eating.

Garfield glanced up from his plate and wiped the rich sauce from his whiskers. "Hmm?"

"I was wondering about something. What do you think of the other club members?"

Garfield shrugged. "I don't know them that well, yet," he admitted. "They all seem like good people, though, especially MC. I haven't had a really close male friend since I parted ways with Odie after Jon's funeral. I would like to have a guy's night out with him, sometime."

Sayori clapped her hands together and grinned. "That's wonderful!" she cheered, secretly relieved that his first thoughts were of MC and not of the other girls. "MC doesn't have any male friends, either. It's strange, you know? He has pretty boyish interests, but he doesn't talk to many other guys."

Garfield chuckled to himself. "Maybe he's a player."

Sayori shook her head. "Don't talk about MC like that. He's a good guy, and would never cheat on somebody on purpose. In fact, he's-" Sayori opened her eyes just in time to see a certain couple walk into the restaurant. "-on a date with Natsuki?"

Garfield followed her eyes to find MC and Natsuki together, their hands clutched tightly and affectionately. As MC spoke to the hostess, Natsuki gazed off in their direction, locked eyes with the couple, and flashed the slightest of smug smiles.

"What are they doing here?" Sayori questioned with an innocent curiosity. "And why is holding Natsuki's hand?"

Garfield shrugged his shoulders. "Who's to say? Perhaps they are on a date of their own. Does it really matter? They seem to be enjoying themselves, regardless."

Sayori's expression flickered into a stern frown for a moment, almost as if the sight angered her somewhat. Just as quick as the flash came, however, it vanished, and her warm smile returned. "You're right: I guess it doesn't matter."

Garfield frowned. "I'm not convinced. What's bothering you, Sayori?"

Sayori shook her head. "It's nothing. I just. . . I just had a thought."

"About what?" Garfield inquired. "It's fine, you can tell me about it."

"You don't need to worry about it," Sayori chuckled weakly. "Everything's alright."

Garfield lowered his knife and fork, staring at Sayori with an expression of genuine concern. "You're bothered. Sayori, all relationships are built on trust. I understand that it's only our first date, but I feel like you're hiding something from me. I promise I won't be angry with you if you just tell me what it is."

Sayori inhaled deeply and exhaled calmly. "You're right, Garfield. The truth is, MC has been and still is a very important person to me. He was and still is my best friend, but my feelings for him used to go deeper than that. I had a crush on him for the longest time, and I always tried to nudge him to that realization," Sayori took a sip from her cola. "He never did get it, though. I don't have those same feelings anymore, not since I met you, but. . . It still upsets me a little bit that he's now found someone else right after I stopped caring."

Garfield took Sayori's hand in his paw and gently squeezed it. "I understand that some part of you must resent it, but you must understand that sometimes love is merely unrequited. MC seems like a nice person, as well as a good friend, but sometimes romance isn't meant to be. Perhaps fate knew this, and wanted to save you the heartache of a failed relationship that would permanently damage your friendship with him. Instead of resenting him for his decision, rejoice that he has found someone he cares for just as deeply as you once did for him."

Sayori smiled, for Garfield's wisdom had touched her in a way she had never really thought about before. "I never thought about it like that, but it makes sense. Maybe one day, I can tell him how I felt, and we can all have a good laugh about it."

Garfield nodded. "That's the spirit, Sayori."

While Sayori genuinely meant her words, they didn't stop her from glancing back over at the couple. The hostess led them to a table off in the corner of the room. MC and Natsuki followed her, their hands locked together and swinging ever so slightly. Sayori couldn't help but notice the look of adoration Natsuki was giving MC as they say down together. Sayori never recalled seeing Natsuki, the overly-defensive and insecure girl she was, so genuinely happy before.

"I think she needed him more than I did," Sayori informed Garfield. "Monika tells me that Natsuki has a poor relationship with most of her classmates and even her own family. Having someone like MC around must be the only comfort she really has."

"I think you're right," Garfield replied, polishing off the last of his lasagna. He then turned to his salad, which he had saved for later, and ate a small bite of lettuce. "You told me they were both into anime and manga, right?"

"Mhmm."

"Fate brings kindred souls together," Garfield remarked. "I know it's a bit hasty to predict this on the first date, but I think their love will blossom into a healthy, loving marriage."

"And I would love to be one of Natsuki's bridesmaids," Sayori proclaimed. "I just hope her wedding won't be too, er, kawaii."

MC just how happened to glance in their direction at the moment, and he waved as charmingly as he could at them. Sayori and Garfield both waved back, flashing him polite smiles as they did so. Unbeknownst to them, however, MC was busy searching for some sort of sign of jealousy on Sayori's face. There was, of course, none, at least none that he could detect.

"Darn it," MC muttered once they had turned back to their meal. "I don't think she's jealous at all. In fact, she looks happy for us."

Natsuki gazed up from her menu. By her standards, now was as good of a time as ever to execute her own romantic plans with MC. "Well, maybe she and Garfield are having a wonderful time."

"I guess it would be hard not to," MC replied with a sigh. "It's going to be an uphill battle to compete with him."

Natsuki turned back to her menu. "You shouldn't worry so much about who Garfield is, or what advantages you think he has over you. That's not going to get you anywhere. Girls like men who love themselves."

MC shook his head. "It's hard to love yourself when someone ten times better than you is stealing your crush right in front of your face."

Natsuki placed her hand on MC's, staring deep into his eyes. There was a nervous, uncertain look in them. Though Natsuki talked a big game, the harsh reality was that she had issues loving herself, too. It was all the more reason she loved MC so much: he had a good heart, and he was often too hard on himself. She wanted to show him how valuable he was to those around him, and she hoped that he could somehow reciprocate that same truth within her.

"MC?"

"Yeah?"

"Don't you think you're worrying too much about this? Staring at her all night's not gonna change anything. We should enjoy our date as much as possible, right?"

MC considered her argument for a moment. "You have a point. Have you ever had the Shrimp Alfredo from this place? It's pretty good."

Natsuki shook her head as she drummed her fingers on the table awkwardly. "Actually, I've never been here before."

MC's jaw practically fell to the floor. "What!? How could you ignore a place like this? They have some of the best food in the city."

Natsuki cringed ever so slightly. Should she tell him that she very rarely ate out at restaurants at all? It would be very embarrassing to admit such a thing, especially with the big fuss he was making about never coming here. However, he would have to find out the truth eventually. . .

"My dad doesn't make a lot of money," Natsuki muttered. "We don't have the luxury of eating out a lot. There's a lot of places I would love to go to, but money's tight."

MC frowned sympathetically. "Natsuki, I had no idea."

"Well, it's not exactly something I want to brag about, dummy. You wouldn't like it anymore if you were in my shoes, would you?" she defended, a little more disdain in her voice than she wanted there to be.

"Of course not," MC replied, his sympathy unwavering. "You get whatever you want tonight, because I'll cover the bill. You deserve to have a treat every now and then."

Natsuki beamed at her crush. "Really? You mean that?"

"Of course," MC smiled. "I'd like to think you'd do the same for me."

"Oh, MC, I love y-. . . T-the idea of Alfredo," Natsuki declared nervously. "Y-yep. I love Alfredo, and totally wasn't about to confess a crush on you, or anything. Nope. No sir. We are just friends helping each other out, and nothing else."

Stop talking, Natsuki! You're only making everything more awkward!

MC stared her quizzically. "Yeah, right."

At that moment, Massimiliano stepped over to the pair with his notepad in hand. "Buongiorno! I have to say that love must be in the air tonight, for I see another beautiful couple here before me. Are you two lovebirds ready to order?"

"I know I am, Massi," MC replied.

"Ah, MC!" Massimiliano exclaimed happily. "I did not recognize you for a moment! It is so good to see you! How is the family?"

"Wonderful," MC replied. Then, he gestured over to Natsuki. "Massimiliano, this is my date, Natsuki. She's that girl I told you about in the literature club, the one that makes really good cupcakes."

Natsuki sank in her chair a bit, very conscious of her uncontrollable blushing. "Oh, quit it, dummy. They're not _that_ good."

Massimiliano grinned. "Oh, MC, she is a lovely ragazza. I can see she knows the way to a man's heart very well, too."

"She does," MC confirmed. "Natsuki, this is Massimiliano. He's been my family's waiter every time we go here."

"I've watched MC grow from a young ragazzo into the uomo he is today!" Massimiliano proudly proclaimed. "He is not just a customer, but a good friend. Any lover of his must be a wonderful friend, as well."

"Well, actually, we aren't-" Natsuki began.

"We aren't ready to order!" MC interrupted, laughing nervously. "Natsuki's never been here before, you see."

"Ah, of course!" Massimiliano nodded. "I will give you two more time to decide, as well as more time _alone_ ," he added with a wink. "Ciao!"

"What was that all about?" Natsuki inquired once he left.

"I don't want him to know why we're _really_ on this date," MC explained. "The last thing we need is for him to spill the beans to Sayori."

"Ah, yes," Natsuki nodded, slyly returning her attention to her menu. "That's. . . Understandable. Do you mind if I use the restroom?"

MC shrugged, completely oblivious to the plan Natsuki was currently formulating in her mind. "Sure, take your time."

"I'll just be a minute," Natsuki assured as she stood up and hurried off. She made her way to the restroom until she turned a corner and left MC's sight. Then, making sure the coast was clear, she ran silently after Massimiliano. She caught him just before he entered the kitchen.

"Massimiliano, was it?" she inquired as she tapped on his shoulder.

"Hmm? Ah, MC's ragazza! What can I do for you?"

Natsuki tapped her fingers together awkwardly. "I know we just met, but I have a favor to ask of you."

"Sure, what is it?"

"I. . . I'm not actually on a date with MC. I'm, uh, sorta helping him try to make a girl jealous. The thing is, I _do_ love MC, but. . . I don't know how to go forward with this situation. You're a friend of is, can you help me?"

Massimiliano hesitated, but ultimately smiled and shook his head playfully. "Oh, MC," he muttered to himself. "You never did know when a ragazza wanted you," He then glanced back at Natsuki. "I can see that look in your eyes, Miss Natsuki. The love you feel for him is true, so I will help however I can."

Natsuki beamed. "Oh, thank you! Thank you so much!" she squealed delightedly.

"But," Massimiliano began as he placed a firm hand on her shoulder. "You will still have to be the one that confesses to him. MC is a good friend, but I've never seen anyone else be so dense around donne. He will not reciprocate unless you get him to think about you, understand?"

Natsuki smirked. "Understood, and thank you again!"

She then took off without hesitation, returning to the booth with a great smile.

MC raised a mildly bewildered eyebrow. "You look awfully happy for someone that just peed."

Natsuki jumped. "Well, er, yeah. I had to pee really badly. You know, I'm small, so my bladder is, too."

_Why did you say that!?_ Natsuki thought to herself, but she kept the smile going.

MC glanced down at his menu. "Fair enough. Have you decided on anything, yet? I'm getting kinda hungry, honestly."

"Uh, I may have to ask Massiwhateverhisnameis for his recommendations," Natsuki replied. "I don't know my Italian, don't judge me."

MC shrugged. "I won't."


	4. The Love Right In Front of You

"Thank you for taking me out tonight, MC," Natsuki said as she flashed her 'date' with a shy smile. "I really. . . I really appreicate it, you dummy."

She could feel her cheeks ignite with passion, yet the smile MC flashed her was merely one of a gracious friend. "Hey, I should be the one thanking you. You're doing a lot for me, Natsuki; I mean it. Besides, I would have definitely taken you out sooner if I knew you had never been here."

Natsuki's eyes sparkled. She had every reason to believe that he was being sincere. After all, maybe MC was clueless, but his heart was definitely in the right place. "Y-you mean that?"

"I do. Friends should do things like that to one another, shouldn't they? That won't change even after I win Sayori back, I promise."

And with that, her dreams were dashed once again. Sighing, she glanced back down at the menu.

"I think I'll try to shrimp scampi," she spoke after a period of silence. "You got any good ideas?"

MC shrugged. "You know, I'm so focused on the mission, I didn't really think about what I wanted to eat. Now that you mention it, shrimp scampi sounds rather nice."

Just them, Massimiliano danced through the crowd, past the happily-chatting lovebirds known as Sayori and Garfield, and over to their table.

"Let's see, I have a sweet tea for Natsuki, and a Doki-Cola for MC! Have you two decided on your orders, yet? Or, do you need more time?"

He winked at Natsuki, and the girl got the message. "I think we'll need more time!"

MC raised an eyebrow. "What? But you said-"

"Say, MC," Massimiliano interrupted. "What compelled you to ask this beautiful ragazza on a date? I must say, I think you're a lucky man to have such a cute girl say yes."

"Hmm? Oh, yeah! Massi, can you keep a secret?"

"Of course!"

"Well, we're not actually on a _date_ date," MC chuckled nervously. "You see, I kinda have a crush on Sayori."

"Really? Why is it, then, that she is currently on a date with Garfield?"

MC shot a glance at Sayori and Garfield. By some stroke of (mis)fortune, the two noticed and waved back. There was a genuine joy on Sayori's face, and Garfield's smile was affable in its own right.

Was he truly too late? Should he destroy what happiness was readily present in front of him?

"I. . . I know!" MC exclaimed, jolting back. No! Sayori could still be his! She had waited long enough; what was one last night? "But I'm an idiot, Massimiliano. She's had a crush on me for so long, and all I've done is neglect that. It took Garfield to realize that, but I think that once she sees I'm interested, I'll win her back!"

Massimiliano frowned, then shot a pitying glance at Natsuki. The poor girl was just glancing down, sadly stirring the straw in her drink as she listened.

"MC?" Massimiliano questioned.

"Yeah?"

"I've been waiting over their table throughout the night," Massimiliano explained. "I am sorry to bring such horrible news, but I do believe your childhood friend has moved on."

MC's eyes widened. "No," he muttered. "I think you're just. . . I think you're reading too much into it!" he argued, a quick flash of anger appearing and disappearing in less than a second.

Massimiliano was neither intimidated nor outraged. In addition to dealing with all sorts of hostile customers in his tenure as a waiter, he was also observant enough to know that such anger was born of desperation. The irony did not escape him: MC was experiencing Natsuki's own dilemma himself; the only difference was that MC should have been able to see that he still had someone right in front of him, someone he seemed to care for very deeply, even if he was unable to recognize it.

"Massimiliano," Natsuki sighed sadly, folding up her menu. "I think we're ready to order."

There was defeat in that voice. Natsuki avoided eye contact with him, but Massimiliano caught a glimmer of regret in her voice.

 _No, no! Don't give up!_ Massimiliano thought to himself, but there was nothing he could really do. Hesitantly, he drew a pen and notepad, took their two orders of shrimp scampi, and wandered back to the kitchen. As he departed, he glanced back at the pair one last time, then back at the note. Suddenly, he smiled.

He could still save things. He'd have to be rather heavy handed about it, but he would do it for the good of everyone trapped in this awkward love triangle.

"Did you hear all of that?" Sayori inquired with a sad frown.

Garfield nodded. The pair had eavesdropped on the conversation, and they had noticed just how pitiful Natsuki frowned whenever MC brought up Sayori's name.

"She loves him," Garfield noted with a small frown. "She loves him, alright, but he doesn't seem to notice."

Sayori's sense of empathy went into overdrive. "That poor girl," she mumbled. "I know how she feels."

Suddenly, a thought occurred within her, one that made the overly-optimistic girl a tad cynical. She remembered how Garfield asked her out at the club meeting, right in front of MC and Natsuki.

Did MC ask Natsuki out? Just to use her in an attempt to win back her heart?

That made her shoot him a glare, but as his attention was focused on the soda he was currently drinking, he failed to detect it.

"He's using her," Sayori grumbled. "That scumbag!"

Garfield glared as well. Suddenly, he rose. "I'm going to go talk to him."

"Garfield, don't," Sayori whispered. If she wanted to avoid drawing attention, however, she was too late. MC now glanced in their direction, his gaze locked firmly upon Garfield's glare. He shot one back.

"I'll be right back," Garfield assured Sayori, his voice still as gentle and harmonic as it usually was. "I just want to talk to him."

"Garfield, please-"

"I _just_ wanna talk to him," Garfield repeated, and Sayori decided that she had no other choice but to trust that he was telling the truth.

Garfield stomped over to MC, and while the boy held his stern glare at first, the sight of Garfield's intimidating, bulging muscles gradually weakened his resolve. Nevertheless, he managed to keep a straight face right as Garfield stepped up next to him.

"Hello, Garfield," he greeted coldly. "How are you?"

"Fairly well," Garfield replied. "We need to have a talk."

"What about?"

"About Sayori."

"Alright," MC shrugged. "Let's talk."

"Not here," Garfield growled. "Outside."

MC swallowed as all the fear within him bubbled up in a single instant. "W-why outside?"

"You'll find out," Garfield answered. "Now, we can do this the easy way or we can do this the hard way. I'll leave the choice to you."

"Garfield?" Natuski spoke up, a shred of anger in her otherwise polite tone. "I would like to know why exactly you're bothering us on our dinner date."

Under the table, she kicked Garfield in his muscular calf. Unfortunately, his rock-hard muscles made any sort of damage impossible.

"You will find out soon enough, Natsuki," Garfield explained calmly. "I only want to talk with him; you have my word."

Natsuki and MC locked eyes with one another. Panic had overcome any other emotion within MC, and there was a silent pleading shining within his eyes.

Natsuki swallowed. Ultimately, she caved in. "Fine, just. . . Don't hurt him, OK? I kinda like his face like it is."

"Understood," Garfield chuckled, and then he turned back to MC. "So, will you come willingly, or will I have to drag you out?"

MC bowed his head. "Fine, I'm coming out," he muttered as he rose from his booth.

Garfield led him past the tables and out the front door.

"You're not gonna hit me, are you?" MC laughed nervously.

"Nope," Garfield spoke truthfully. "I gave my word, to both Natsuki and Sayori."

"Ah, Sayori. It's quite the coincedence that you, er, asked her out on the same night as my date with Natsu-"

"Drop the act, MC; I can read people like an open book."

MC froze in his tracks. He was legitimately stunned to hear that, so dropping the act wasn't even something he consciously did. "W-what?"

"Be honest with me," Garfield commanded, his voice holding the same sternness one might expect from an annoyed father. "Did you come here to try to sabotage things for us?"

"Well, not for _both_ of you-"

"MC!"

MC sighed. "Yes. I wanted to win Sayori back."

Garfield, surprisingly, was not angry anymore. In fact, he allowed himself a small, genuine smile. "Thank you. That wasn't so hard, was it?"

"So you know," MC said nervously. "Can I go back now? I'll eat, go home, and try to forget all about tonight."

"In a minute," Garfield said, his voice somehow a contradictory mix of reassuring sternness. He took a seat on the curb around the side of the restaurant, then gestured to a spot next to him. "Sit down."

MC obeyed, but he said nothing.

"She's mad at you," Garfield said, his voice now empathetic and soothing. "She doesn't like how you're using Natsuki as a tool to win her back."

"Well, to be fair, it was just as much her plan as it was mine," MC defended.

"Was it, now?" Garfield inquired. "I find that hard to swallow."

"It was," MC affirmed, but his curiosity got the better of him. "Why is it that you find that strange?"

"MC, this is an odd thing to ask, I presume, but do you think Natsuki likes you?"

"Well, yeah," MC chuckled. "We hang out all the time. We read manga together, we riff anime and internet videos together, we play games online together, and we sometimes even have the nerve to do homework toget-"

Garfield couldn't help but to erupt in laughter. "Not like a friend, you idiot!" he interrupted. In spite of the insult, Garfield's goofy grin informed MC that he meant it as good-natured banter. "No, I mean, do you think she sees you as more than a friend?"

MC stroked his chin in thought. "No, I guess I didn't. I mean, wouldn't she have told me by now if she really felt that way?"

"Sayori never did," Garfield reminded.

MC nodded. "Point taken. I guess I might as well run it by her just to see if it is true. In any case, I'm sorry I got angry at you, Garfield. I guess Sayori's just moved on, huh?."

Garfield patted his new friend on the shoulder. "Apology accepted. And yes, I think she has. I think you'll find that someone out there loves you just as much as she does, though."

MC breathed deeply, allowing the idea to ferment about in his mind. "I hope you're right. Can we go back inside, now?"

Garfield rose to his feet. "Yep. You're food might be getting cold, anyway."

"Oh, right!" MC exclaimed, quickly getting up and running past Garfield. Suddenly, however, he came a stop, for a thought crossed his mind. "Oh, and Garfield?"

"Hmm?"

MC frowned. "Please give Sayori what she deserves. I know she went with you in the end, but she's still a good friend to me, you know?"

Garfield pulled him into a bro-hug. "Of course. And if you find out that Natsuki feels the same about you, can you do the same?"

MC nodded firmly, offering a warm smile to his new friend. "Of course!"

With those words, MC re-entered the restaurant, determination in his posture as he found his booth once more.

"Hey, Natsuki," MC smiled brightly at the girl who might or might not actually love him.

"Hey, yourself," Natsuki smiled meekly. "I take it that your talk with Garfield went. . . Well?"

"Yep! I completely and utterly blew any chance I had with Sayori!"

In spite of his words, he continued to smile. He never realized how happy he was in the presence of Natsuki. When they had first begun to hang out at the beginning of the school year, she didn't smile much. She had a guarded aura around her, one that stubbornly prevented MC from getting to close. Over time, however, MC realized that the aura had dissolved when he was around her. Now, whenever they hung out, she was always smiling; she was always _happy_!

Did she really feel that way about him?

"You're awfully happy about that," Natsuki noted with a perturbed frown. "Are you sure he didn't give you a blow to the head or something?"

"I'm sure," MC remarked. "There is _one_ thing I'm a little uncertain about, though."

Natsuki took a sip of her tea. "What might that be? That Garfield is actually super cool and deserves everyone's attention?" she questioned mockingly. She still harbored disdain for the muscular cat, even if he had kept his promise not to bash MC's face in.

"No, Natsuki. It's about you."

A blush creeped its way back onto Natsuki's face. This time, MC noticed it. "W-what about me, MC?"

"Natsuki," MC swallowed. "I know we hang out a lot, but I've never really found out."

Natsuki's face was as red as clown's nose. she gripped her tea glass with equal parts excitement and anxiety. "What!? What did you never find out."

"Natsuki. . . Do you like me!?" MC questioned, a matching blush appearing on his face.

" **YES!** " Natsuki practicaly shouted as she jumped out of her booth chair, completely oblivious to the attention she was drawing upon herself. She slid into MC's booth and enveloped him a passionate hug.

Then, to her surprise, MC leaned in and pecked her on the lips.

"Pinch me," Natsuki whispered once their lips parted. "Pinch me and wake me up."

"You're not dreaming," MC chuckled.

Natsuki grabbed his face and began to make out with him, their kisses loudly echoing throughout the dining area. A chorus of "awwwws" and "ewwws" followed, but the two neither heard nor cared.

From their own table, Garfield and Sayori smiled.

"He's clueless," Sayori remarked, but her grin only grew wider. "But there's a reason I liked him for all those years. He's got a good heart, after all."

"You can say that again," Garfield winked. "At the end of the day, I guess I should thank him for being so clueless; it gave me a chance with the prettiest girl in the world."

Turning back to her date, Sayori couldn't help but grin sheepishly. "Oh, Garfield! This was a wonderful first date! Please, kiss me!"

Garfield wasted no time in obliging as he rose from his chair to plant a kiss on Sayori's lips. They were not quite as loud or sloppy as MC and Natsuki were being, but their own kisses were nevertheless just as passionate."

As the crowd looked on at the two couples enjoying themselves perhaps a _bit_ too much in public, Massimiliano exited the kitchen with two large bowls of shrimp scampi. Ducking and dodging, weaving and wobbling, he made his way to the booth.

"Two plates of shrimp scamp-" Massimiliano began, only to stop upon discovering that Natsuki and MC were already far too busy sucking face to suck pasta noodles. Smiling, he simply set the two bowls down and wandered off quietly.

At last, Natsuki and MC broke off for air, leaving a trail of their swapped spit in between their mouths. Natsuki eyed him with love drunk eyes, only to find that same stare in his.

"I love you!" Natsuki declared happily. "I love you so much, even if you are a dummy!"

MC grinned. Natsuki leaned in closer to him. He felt her heartbeat against his, setting his own heart aflutter.

This is what he had wanted all along. Maybe he was quite a fool for not seeing it sooner, but Sayori, while a great friend, was not the love he needed. She had her boyfriend, and maybe he was far more of a man than MC was, but he took pride in the fact that he was special to Natsuki in a way that Garfield never could be.

And after all the time they spent together, he realized the same applied to him. Her pink locks, her soft giggles, her sharp wit, it was all beautiful.

Smiling, he flashed a thumbs up to Garfield, who happily returned it. Then MC and Natsuki sunk back into another deep kiss, much to the chagrin of the other customers.

_The End_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I don't know why you read this but thank you.


End file.
